. >> reporter: the u.s. blanketed the area with fliers and posters showing pictures of the two sailors, and offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to their safe return. >> there is a tremendous amount of effort going on to find them, to search, and beyond that, i wouldn't... i can't discuss any additional details. >> reporter: the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, who was visiting afghanistan at the time, called it an unusual circumstance. the two sailors, members of a team training afghans, left their base at camp julian near kabul in an s.u.v. for the relatively short drive to camp eggers. yet their badly shot-up vehicle was found 80 miles south of kabul. why they strayed so far and why they drove into taliban- controlled territory by themselves-- a blatant violation of security procedures-- remain unknown. a statement posted on a taliban web site said they ambushed the s.u.v. in an attempt to capture the sailors alive. when the two men fought back, the taliban opened fire, killing one, but